Convention season is starting to pick up for the year, so we’re putting together some thoughts on how to manage your conventioning without going crazy. Over the years, we’ve observed a lot of common problems and come up with solutions for many of them. At this point, we can walk into our studio closet right now and walk out again prepared for a local show. If we need to travel, we only need a day to pack up and prep our personal items and do our food shopping. How do you achieve this level of skill? Read on.

It’s difficult to acquire healthy food at many venues, and given the high stress environment and crowds, it is even more important than normal to make sure that you are eating properly and staying hydrated in order to stay healthy.

We’ve been doing conventions since 2001, and the main difference we’ve tracked in whether or not any of us end up with con plague is what we ate. Whenever we don’t bring food, we get sick, without fail. Not bringing food also makes it more likely that you’ll skip meals, which will not only affect your health, but is likely to make you cranky with your customers and hurt your sales.

In the last installment, I ended with this postscript: “I expect a lower volume of art collectors at the cons I frequent, which begs the question of why I attend those conventions. The reason is that while there is a lower overall volume of art collectors there, they are more likely to purchase my art specifically and I have less competition.”

This post elaborates on and explains this concept. We use 4 basic questions to narrow down our target audience and where to find them. This helps us determine which shows to attend, target our marketing efforts, and decide what sort of ancillary products to create.

Some of the most important things to learn in order to be successful in the Artist’s Alley are proper pricing of your work and how to allocate and control costs for producing your items. It’s necessary to set prices at a level where items will both sell and turn a reasonable profit. (If you think artists making profit on their work is somehow wrong or excessive –there’s the door. These posts are not for you.)

We'll be showing at OPPLcon this weekend! Come out to see our new stuff and avoid shipping charges!

Orland Park Public Library is hosting its own mini comic con for the third year in row on Saturday, July 22 starting at 10 a.m. Each year OPPL CON, the library’s own comic con, includes an “Artists’ Ally” in room 104 where artists bring their work to the library to show the community. This year the library has the fortune to host 9 different groups of artists. Some of the artists include Beta 3 Comics, Mystery Unincorporated, Sol Comics, Kumate Works, Cinders and Glitters, and the Sketchy Duo. Links to all the arts’ webpages are available at the library’s website. Children will have a chance to take a picture with a snow queen from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and a web slinging superhero from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. thanks to Premier Princess Parties. Patrons are encouraged to dress as their favorite characters like Superman, Spock, and Maleficent as well. Events run through the day, including a special Superhero storytime at 10 a.m., themed crafts at 11 a.m. in Youth Services, and a costume parade at 1 p.m. Teens are invited to participate in the Super Smash Brothers Tournament in the storytime room at 2 p.m., and adult patrons might enjoy two discussion panels held upstairs in the computer lab on The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively. Library patrons can scoop up a sweet treat just outside of the library front doors at 11 a.m. from TCBY. The library would like to thank all its sponsors including Burger 21, Mod Pizza, Premier Princess Parties, and TCBY for helping make this event happen. While visiting the library Saturday, patrons can get a temporary tattoo, take a superhero picture at the photo booth, attend superhero training, and stop by the lobby to see the library’s own 3D printer in action any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, visit the library’s special OPPL CON webpage at http://www.orlandparklibrary.org/comiccon or call 708-428-5100. The Orland Park Public Library is located at 14921 Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park, Illinois. Hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Patrons are asked to wear family friendly costumes and leave light sabers at home. ... See more